January 19, 2010 by RVBusiness · Comments Off on New Hampshire Park Owners Sound Off On Tax

New Hampshire campground owners had a chance to speak their minds at the state’s Legislative Office Building Tuesday, upset over what they call an unfair tax that is hurting their business, according to television station WMUR.

Last year the New Hampshire legislature passed HB 1445, a bill that imposed a 9% rooms and meals tax on campgrounds.

Opponents of the bill said it does more harm than good and was unfairly imposed, with no public hearing, and hurts the tourism industry greatly.

Some said that during the camping season a good percentage of people shopping in local grocery stores and plazas on a given weekend night are campers. Owners said campers won’t want to pay twice, meaning once they get hit with the campground tax they will pass on the pizza from a local pizza parlor that night.

Campground owners and legislators said New Hampshire now has the highest tax on campgrounds in the country and makes the state less attractive — allowing neighboring states to pick up disgruntled campers.

Rep. Gene Chandler, R-Carroll, a sponsor of the bill to repeal the tax, said this was the largest tax hike in the country as the tax went from zero percent to 9%.

WMUR’s Heather Hamel reported that no supporters of HB 1445 had spoken at the hearing.